Career Competencies Micro-credential
1. Problems
1. More than half of students
are leaving community
colleges and universities
without a degree, having
taken on added debt
Kreighbaum, 2018). CBS
(2017) reports “Americans
with no more than a high
school diploma have fallen
so far behind college
graduates in their economic
lives that the earnings gap
between college grads and
everyone else has reached
its widest point on record.”
2. College graduates lack
the skills employers seek
and expect (Stewart, Wall, &
Marciniec, 2018). Students
graduate within various
majors lacking the “soft
skills” employers search for.
These skills are necessary
in any field, making an
individual who exhibits them
even more marketable.
3. Students need more
options for becoming career
ready and marketable to
employers (Badal, 2016).
An article by CBS (2017)
argues that more four-year
degrees isn’t the answer,
rather another
comprehensive approach to
4. Solution
Top 3 features
I am creating a non-profit
organization with a mission
to create immersive multi-
day experiences for
individuals to build upon and
develop career
competencies through
experiential, collaborative,
project-based learning.
Additionally, graduates of
the program will be awarded
a micro-credential focused
on career competencies.
1. No added cost to
students. The costs will be
covered primarily in two
ways; through university and
company partners.
2. Immersive experiences
that are not career specific.
3. Paths for graduates and
those with minimal college
credits. By requiring certain
courses to be accepted, the
program is equally
applicable for individuals
who did not complete a four-
year degree as well as
recent graduates or those
reentering the workforce.
3. Unique Value 5. Unfair 2. Customer
Proposition advantage Segments
Single, clear, compelling This micro-credential Recent college graduates
message that states why you focuses on universal career are the primary market.
are different and worth buying competencies rather than Over 80% of college seniors
specific courses as many graduate without a job,
The micro-credential we offer other nanodegrees. The according to a study
is at no added cost to the program also requires conduced in 2014 (Gallup,
student. It requires minimal certain foundational skills 2016). According to the
time commitment in an that when combined with National Center for
intensive immersion program the micro-credential will set Education Statistics, “During
designed to build upon graduates and those who the 2018-2019 school year,
existing skills. Our mission is do not hold a degree apart colleges and universities are
to graduate students from the from any other program. expected to award one
program with strong career million associate’s degrees
competencies and an ability and 1.9 million bachelor’s
to demonstrate and articulate degrees.
those skills to prospective
employers in any field. Students who didn’t
graduate from college don’t
have a degree, have added
debt, and are also without
the skills employers are
looking for in many jobs.
“Only 59 percent of students
who start at four-year
intuitions graduate within six
years…that leaves millions
with debt but no degree
(Sullivan & Jordan, 2017).
Students who pursue the
micro-credential without a
degree will need to meet
some course requirements
for foundational purposes,
including first year
composition, a computer

comprehensive approach to
obtaining skills, especially
those in technology, is
needed. With more high
schools and colleges
moving to different modes of
instruction, the need for
education to be flexible is
apparent.
9. Key Metrics
Key activities you measure
Fostering relationships and
growing partnerships with
colleges and companies is
vital. These partnerships
balance out the no-cost
programs.
We will continuously assess
learning outcomes and
monitor employer feedback
in regards to central career
competencies.
We will also continue to
work to promote our mission
to companies and schools
with the goal of creating
value in the micro-credential
through branding. Our long-
term goal is to offer this
training within higher
education intuitions as a
requirement needed for
graduation.
10. Channels
We intend to reach
customers through the
following methods.
Partnerships with colleges
and companies will be the
largest channel during
start-up.
Social media. We will
begin by utilizing twitter,
instagram, and facebook,
eventually expanding to
other platforms as needed.
A website will be created.
All social media will link to
this site.
The National Student
Clearinghouse is a
resource to access recent
graduates as well as
information for individuals
who were enrolled and did
not return to school.
We will focus on branding
through social media, the
website, and partnerships.
including first year
composition, a computer
course, math course, and at
least 35 total credits from an
accredited school.
There is immense room for
growth. The program would
primarily be marketed
towards recent college
graduates, representing a
steady stream yearly as well
as individuals who have
decided to not return to
college.
We will focus on cultivating
college partnerships in large
cities. Company
partnerships will be targeted
at large Fortune 500
companies.
7. Cost structure
Customer Acquisition Costs –
Distribution Costs – The product is information that will be
presented at various sites. We will need to build
partnerships, budgeted at $500 per partnership due to
travel costs and staffing. Based on a goal of establishing
ten partnerships during the first year, I estimate $5000 for
this expense.
Hosting - Website hosting through Bluehost.com is $13.95
per month for the first five years. The cost per year is
$167.40. Additionally I will need a graphic designer to
create a logo to use as part of the brand. I estimate this at
$1000 total for the logo and website hosting.
People, etc. – Initially, I will start with myself, a marketing
and partnership coordinator, and three additional
individuals on a part-time, as-needed basis to co-create the
curriculum and projects and run the immersion events. I
am budgeting $120,000 per year in staffing.
Space – Colleges and Universities must provide their own
training space. We will work with city officials and colleges
to obtain spaces for non-college and non-corporate events
focused on providing the micro-credentialing program free-
of-charge to individuals lacking an associate or bachelor’s
degree. At this time office space is not needed until
significant partnerships have been developed.
Other - $20,000 for additional expenses including space as
addressed above or developing additional partnerships.
Once the material is developed, the largest expenses will
be the human capital and travel costs.
Total cost per year = $145,000.
Lean Canvas- Based on the book ‘Running Lean’ from Ash Maurya
8. Break Even
How many customers do you
need for break even?
I would need 10 college
events and 10 corporate
events at minimum capacity
to break even for the year.
6. Revenue streams
Revenue model – Revenue will be generated through
partnerships with colleges and Fortune 500 businesses.
Additional revenue will be generated though donors.
Additionally we will apply for grants and pursue donors.
Lifetime value – There is no cost incurred by an individual
obtaining their micro-credential, however it’s reasonable to
assume the graduates of the program will help promote it
to other individuals, employers, and engage in activity
through social media that may build the brand.
Additionally, individuals may choose to become donors
after completing the program.
Revenue – Partnerships with colleges will generate
revenue of $250 per student and partnerships with
corporations will generate $500 per individual. Each
immersive experience has a minimum requirement of 20
individuals with a maximum limit of 40.
Each college program revenue will vary between $5000-
$10,000 per session. Corporate program per session will
vary between $10,000 and $20,000.
The initial goal is to host 10 college programs and 10
business intensive programs within the first year. This
would average a yield of $225,000 per year.
 References

Badal, S. (2016). Skills learned in school differ from those demanded at work. Gallup. Retrieved from
https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236489/skills-learned-school-differ-demanded-work.aspx

Kreighbaum, A. (2018, August 8). The link between completion and loan repayment. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved October 1, 2018
from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/08/08/link-between-college-completion-and-student-loan-repayment

National Center for Education Statistics (n.d.). Back to school statistics. Retrieved October 5, 2018 from
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372.

Stewart, C., Wall, A., & Marciniec, S. (2018). Mixed signals: do college graduates have the soft skills that employers want.
Competition Forum. 14. 276-281.

Sullivan, K. & Jordan, M. (2017 November 25). Elitists, crybabies and junky degrees. The Washington Post. Retrieved September 29
from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?
noredirect=on&utm_term=.1c433ddd098d